Norway has announced a contribution of one million US dollars to support nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh, as humanitarian agencies grapple with shrinking global funding and rising protection needs.

The funding is part of Norway’s 2025–2026 commitment to the UN Refugee Agency’s (UNHCR) global budget and will help sustain critical life-saving assistance, protection services and humanitarian operations in the Rohingya camps, according to a press release issued on Sunday (January 1).

With humanitarian financing declining sharply in 2025, UNHCR has already been forced to make difficult choices, leading to cuts in essential services that have increased vulnerabilities among refugees, according to BSS.

“Now into the ninth year of the crisis, the Rohingya people need international support more than ever to sustain well-being and keep hope alive,” said Ivo Freijsen, UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh. He said the Norwegian contribution would help strengthen refugee resilience through education, skills training and livelihood opportunities, while promoting self-reliance until conditions allow for a voluntary, dignified and safe return to Myanmar.

Norway’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, said Norway and UNHCR share a common approach to refugee protection that is rights-based, principled and future-oriented. “In the Rohingya response, this means being a predictable partner that emphasises rights, preserves dignity, and supports long-term solutions,” he said, adding that Norway remains committed to strengthening protection for Rohingya women, men, girls and boys.

Norway also supports joint initiatives such as SAFE+2, which provides sustainable cooking fuel to refugee households, helping reduce deforestation, improve safety and health conditions, and lessen risks faced by women and children.

UNHCR noted that 71 percent of refugees worldwide are hosted by low- and middle-income countries, including Bangladesh, highlighting the urgent need for sustained and predictable international support for both refugees and host communities.

In coordination with the Government of Bangladesh, UNHCR and its partners are preparing to launch the updated 2026 Joint Response Plan (JRP) to address the ongoing Rohingya humanitarian crisis.

Since 2017, Norway has contributed more than $55.2 million in flexible core funding to the Rohingya response, underscoring the international community’s responsibility to support Bangladesh as it continues to host the refugees until conditions in Myanmar allow for their safe and voluntary return.

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